Various Artists-When Men Were Men...And Sheep Were Scared (1985)


 

Artist: Various Artists (Rhino 39, The Vandals, Red Beret, The Crewd, Falling Idols, Secret Hate, Nip Drivers, Target of Demand)

Title: When Men Were Men...And Sheep Were Scared

Label: Bemisbrain

Format: LP

Cat: 72027-1

Year of Release:1985

Country and Year of Edition: US 1985

Sell Price: $22.99 VG+/VG cutout 2/8/23

Discogs Last Sold: 1/17/23 VG+/VG+ $19.27

Low:$9.99

Median: $20.00

Average: $20.09

High: $30.00

Current low price: $17.01

Current Number on Sale at Discogs: 16

Have/Want: 382/156

Where Sold: Alhambra, CA

Time it took to sell:  8 years

Where and When Purchased: Worcester That's Entertainment $3.99

Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: A-

Sad To See It Go: No

From the Long Beach, CA label that brought you the Hell Comes To Your House series came this classic compilation from the mid-80's when men were men...and sheep were scared.  

The standout track by far was perhaps the greatest song in the Vandals catalog "Dachau Cabana."  Offensive for offensiveness sake, this parody is off the scale to the tune of Barry Manilow's "Copacabana."  So over the top and purposely offensive, it was a radio hit in it's day.   Sort of a cross between Mel Brooks "Springtime For Hitler" and Bill Murray's lounge act.   Manilow magic is overridden by lines like "His name was Helmut/He wore a brown shirt."   Between the lines the lyric was ANTI-Nazi, but to see this you have to accept EVERY topic is subject for parody.  Every person.  Every ideology.  Every mode of human existence.  Especially my own.    If you can't share this mode of thinking, or try to shoehorn the viewpoint as some kind of overarching societal oppression, you are far too entrenched in moralism to appreciate the comedy that is tragedy plus time.   The "dream" of Punk Rock and Rock and Roll to me, first and foremost, was a space safe for freedom of thought and inappropriate expression for all.  Without that you become just another shill for corporate interests and oppressive neurotic rule enforcers just as fervent as any religious fanatic.

The second most "known" band on the record, the Nip Drivers do a punk rock cover of Duran Duran's "Rio" which I totally forgot about.  Along the lines of "hardcore" bands doing top 40 hits of the early 80's like 7 Seconds doing "99 Red Balloons."

The rest of the album is enjoyable mid-80's hardcore veering on alt-rock.  Dave Quackenbush shows up in the Fallen Idols as well as the Vandals.   This is definitely closer to college radio friendly punk than "hardcore," but it has a rawness that keeps in the Maximum Rock 'n Roll realm. These bands from Long Beach, Torrance and yes Los Angeles had a certain sound and style that was distinctive.  Not commercial, not inaccessible, but not straight "college rock" either.

A snapshot of where American Hardcore was evolving away from the fringe but still unsullied by strictly commercial interests.  Otherwise where are you going to get a couplet like "goosesteps and gassin'/were always the fashion at the Dachau..."  Surely a reeducation or at the very least a Spotify banning is in order!

He went to camp.



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